Dominant Lethal Mutations in Mice Resulting from Chronic Tritiated Water (HTO) Ingestion

Abstract

CARSTEN, A. L., AND COMMERFORD, S. L. Dominant Lethal Mutations in Mice Resulting from Chronic Tritiated Water (HTO) Ingestion. Radiat. Res. 66, 609-614 (1976). The possible genetic consequences of continued ingestion of tritiated water (HTO) have been investigated in Hale-Stoner-Brookhaven strain mice maintained on HTO (3 yCi/ml). Second-generation females on HTO were sacrificed in late pregnancy and the corpora lutea, viable, nonviable embryos (early death and late death) and preimplantation loss determined to calculate the mutation rate. The breeding efficiency (pregnancy rate and litter size), was also measured. Analysis of results by both parametric and nonparametric tests has indicated a significant reduction in the number of viable embryos resulting from matings between animals maintained on the tritium regimen, with no effect on breeding efficiency. The integrated radiation dose to the testes and ovary, based on average tissue tritium content from fetal origin through breeding of the 8-week-old animals, was calculated.